SpaceX Dragon departs space station after month

10:04 AM,
May 18, 2014

This April 22, 2014 file photo provided by NASA shows a photo of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station and was photographed by one of two spacewalking astronauts. On Sunday, May 18, 2014, after a one-month visit, the SpaceX cargo ship was for return to Earth. The astronauts released it using the International Space Station's big robot arm.

Written by

MARCIA DUNN
Associted Press Aerospace Writer

. The commercial cargo ship Dragon left the space station on Sunday, heading home with nearly 2 tons of science experiments and old equipment.

After a one-month visit, the SpaceX cargo ship was set loose for return to Earth. The astronauts released it using the International Space Station's big robot arm, as the craft zoomed more than 260 miles above the South Pacific.